Fiber treating composition



Patented ct. 2d, 193' attract earned co i ileroy A. Kramer, Chicago, lili, ignor to Victor Chemical Works, a corporation oi ois no. Drag.

3 Claims.

This application relates to a fiber treating composition, and particularly to a water-proofing and water-repelling fiber treating composition.

The use of waxes as a water-repellent material 5 has been known for some time, and certain emul- I compound without the addition oi a stabilizing salt.

The compound described in. the Gottiielo application may be prepared by the solution of casein in a minor proportion of aluminum formats. The

preferred mixture comprises 30 parts oi. alumi-=' num formate and '70 parts of casein, which are introduced into approximately coo parts of hot water at '75 to 80 C. and held at this temperature for approximately minutes to effect solution of the aluminum iormate, after which the temperature is lowered to about 55 to 60 C. and there maintained until the casein is' completely dissolved.

The amount of aluminum formate may be varied from 10 to 50% and the casein from 50 to 90%, preferably the aluminum formats is within the range of to The reaction product produced contains both'aluminum and casein in the molecule, but its exact structure is not understood This casein aluminum io'rmate complex is not i=0 appreciably hydrolized by water, and has excellent water-prooflng characteristics when applied to aflbrous materiaL- Its water repellence, how ever, may be improved by the addition of a wax.

A stable wax emulsion may be produced from the above described product without the presence of aluminum salt, by the simple addition of a wax, such as bees-wax, petroleum jelly. carnauba wax, parafiin and the llkaand itsemulsitlcation with the caseinous reaction product in any suitable manner.

A preferred manner of emulsifying the product consists in the agitation of .an aqueous solution 0! caseinous material with wax and a partial wax solvent. For example, the solution produced Application November it, 1935, denial No. iidtt from parts casein, 30 parts aluminum formats and 600 parts of hot water is rapidly agitated while adding a homogeneous mixture of parts parafin, 15 parts tetralin and 15 parts hexalin.

Under agitation this becomes emulsified to pro- 5 duce a stable jelly-like product which may be diluted with warm water and used as a bath for treating paper, cotton or wool fabrics.

Normally, a dilution equivalent to l to 5% of non-aqueous constituents isused. The fabric to 10 be treated is held'in the bath at a temperature of about 60 C. for a few minutes, removed; and theexcess emulsion drained on and squeezed oft between a pair of rolls. The fabric may then be dried at a temperature of the order of 60 C. A

fabric so treated is pliable and soft and does not have a waxy feel. it is fully waterproof and water-repellent.

The above emulsion may be used in much more dilute concentration than other war: emulsions. ac

thus, the actual wax concentration may range from only about one-half to two and one-half percent. The emulsion will remain in stable form for periods of 2% hours or more at temperatures of the order of 60 C. The war: is emulsified in as extremely fine particle size which permits the even distribution of a much thinner film on the fibers of the fabric than has heretofore been possible in a single stage waterproofing and water-repellent process.

If desired, odor-masking agents such as pineoil, terpineol, or the like may be introduced into the emulsion to disguise any disagreeable odor due to the casein.

It is much preferred to used partial solvent to material or-emulsifying agent such as tetralin or hexalin, but it is possible to secure a very satisfactory composition without these agents.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no it unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view ofv the prior art.

I claim:

1. A stable fiber treating emulsion comprising a wax and an aqueous solution of a reaction product of casein and aluminum iormate such reaction product having no free aluminum ions.

2. A stable fiber treating emulsion comprising 50 a. wax and an aqueous solution of a reaction prod--- not of casein and aluminum formate such reaction product having no free aluminum ions and a partial solvent for the wax.

3. A composition as set forth in claim 2, in 56 which the partial solvent is a compound of the class consisting of tetralin and hexalin.

4. A composition of matter comprising approximately equal parts 01' a wax and a caseinous reaction product of casein and aluminum Iormate such reaction product having no free aluminum ions, a relatively large amount of water and a small amount of a partial solvent for the wax.

5. An emulsion comprising approximately 100 parts of parafiin, parts of tetralin, 15 parts ofhexalin, 100 parts of a casein aluminum formate reaction product such reaction product having no free aluminum ions, and 600 parts of water.

6. A stable fiber treating emulsion comprising tion product having to parts 01' aluminum formate combined with 75 to parts of casein. LEROY A. KRAMER. 

